Lydgate Beach Park Photos
You might also consider
More like Lydgate Beach Park
Recommended Reviews - Lydgate Beach Park
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
This place was great! It's bigger than the protected ponds we decided to hang out at, but the waves are huge and riptides are awful. Lifeguards along the beach with the "no swimming" signs posted. It's more crowded near the protected ponds because that's really the only place to swim safely. It's large enough the crowds weren't an issue though. Snorkeling is okay here, but the water visibility goes way down because the waves are crashing on the other side of the rocks, and you're getting some of that spray on the pond side. It was nice to swim here and relax on the beach. There's a lot of driftwood too which provides a backrest, if you're lucky to score a spot by some!
Hands down probably the best Beach park and kids playground in the world with both combinations. Has a very large covered area for groups and events. Smaller covered area for public rental and reservations. 2 playgrounds next to each other. One very extensive and large playground mostly wooden and older. The other one is more modern, "smaller". Recently they added more shaded areas over parts of that playground. Lots of parking, great beach area.
Beautiful beach. The pond area is great for swimming and there are a decent amount of fish in it. We were able to swim even with higher than average swells.
This beach is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. We stopped here a couple of times on our trip. It was December and one of the days was cloudy, so it was pretty empty on the beach. There were more people around the protected pond area. The protected area is great for swimming. They have lifeguards on duty. There are some ruins here that were cool to see. They are scared, so if you go be sure to be respectful and not climb on the rocks. I used two different bathrooms. One of them was pretty dirty and definitely needed some TLC. Overall, I would def recommended stopping here!
We really enjoy swimming at this beach every time we visit. The little swimming hole makes it's so simple To enjoy and also very safe. The beach is generally clean and has spots to put your stuff down. Quick walk from our hotel which is as a huge plus but also ample parking if your planning on driving.
Sunday, 8/03/2025 - Went to Lygate Beach park. Address is 4470 Nalu Rd, Kapaa, HI 96746. Cool park. They had rocks to make a little ocean pool and a medium pool so kids can swim. There is also the regular beach with all the waves rushing in at you to swim too. ;) There is lots of parking, tables for parties or picnics, 2 kids playground, bathrooms, showers to rinse off, drinking fountain, bike rack, soft sand, etc. It's a really nice beach. I like it a lot. There were a lot of people here enjoying the day. Id come here again and recommend it. Check it out.
A super safe swim experience. There's a Keiki pool and young adult/adult one for those who love calm waters and of course the open ocean for the more advanced swimmers. There's some big fish and smaller ones. So it's a really great snorkel and swim experience. I'm still working on my swimming and stamina so this is excellent for me. Let me know if you check it out and like it! Enjoy And Aloha!
Beautiful place for families to swim and snorkel!! There's a smaller pool which is perfect for the kiddos it doesn't get too deep and a larger pool where the snorkeling is awesome. The rocks allow for calm water for swimming. Parking is ample enough. Would tell any family visiting Kauai to visit!
The beach was pretty empty when I came to check it out, which was nice. There were some branches and whatnot scattered around the beach, but it wasn't ever in the way of anything. Nice views of the water, calmish waves, plenty of parking. Gave it 4/5 because it wasn't as memorable as other beaches I saw during my trip.
Cool beach with an area that's perfect for kids. It's blocked off by rocks far out it keeps the water from making strong waves. Would recommend for younger kids. There were also a bunch of people snorkeling and I was told there were a lot of fish so that's a plus!
Lydgate was recommended to us by a local that I ran into at our hotel beach area so we gave it a try! It was a great recommendation since she saw that I had a little one in tow. From what she shared, this cove area was manmade but it acts like a swimming pool within the ocean so you are tucked away from the majority of the ocean chaos. Please note, there's still waves within the cove area but compared to what was going on outside of the cove area, it was definitely less crazy! There's two separate coves, one is more shallow than the other, which is perfect for the little ones. This place is definitely good for snorkeling for beginners. You will see plenty of schools of fish as you walk into the water. There's plenty of space to lay out and across the street is a wood structured park and regular play structure as well. There's public restrooms but don't expect it to be fancy with a bidet or anything! Just a public restroom with a toilet and sometimes has toilet paper with plenty of ocean water or whatever's on the ground
I'd like to talk about the camping aspects to Lydgate Beach Park... So yeah, you can camp out here right beside the beach waters. I booked a reservation for a site online at kauai.gov. Once on the Homepage, under the Visitors Section, the 3rd scroll down is Camping Information. Click on that... Then, there are 4 options of beaches to pick from that are spread out covering most of the island of Kauai. They are... - 'Anini Beach Park - Anahola Beach Park - Lydgate Beach Park - Salt Pond Beach Park I made my reservation for this Lydgate Beach Park 6 months in advance. So...I had my choice of any campsite I wanted. Thing was...the choices of campground sites from internet photos all appeared similarly. I just chose #14. It was $25 per night for two nights plus a $3 Non Resident Adult Fee (whatever that means) = $25 + $3....$25 + $3 = $56 total. Lydgate Beach Park is conveniently located 4.5 miles north from the downtown Lihue area. But...I'd like to point out that Lydgate Beach Park and Lydgate Camp Sites are two separate sections from each other. There's a 0.6 mile separation between the two. If you are looking to camp and plug "Lydgate Beach Park" into Google Maps, you won't find the camping area. If you put "Lydgate Camp Sites" into your navigation system, you should be good to go. This just a friendly reminder, lol. When I arrived, there were no indications or signs anywhere of the numbered campsites. It was basically just pick a site or section and start setting up your tent. No one was enforcing any sort of rule about whose site belonged to who. It was very come and go as you please. In fact, I probably didn't even have to pay the $25 per night. No one checked any sort of reservation. And...it was this type of loose policy as well when I camped out on the other side of Kauai at Anahola Beach. Pick a site first before others arrive. Oh well, for being my first visit to the island of Kauai and not knowing better, I had to make prearranged plans ensuring I had a space. And for those who may be reading this and thinking, why camp out instead of getting a hotel/motel/AirBNB? That's because of how expensive lodging was. When I checked prices, surprisingly it was $200, $250, $300 per night plus taxes + service fees, that really bumped up $$$. And this was for everywhere around Kauai. I don't know why so expensive for a summertime visit? Then you may be asking...well how did I get the gear for camping out? Once I arrived at Lihue Airport, I went straight into town where there was a Walmart. I then bought a small tent, pillows and blanket for cheap. And this was the plan all along, how could I find affordable accommodations, lol, if anyone cares :). Some extra notes... - Beside the camping area are restrooms and showers. - You can park on the grass next to your tent site. - There are BBQ pits for grilling and picnic tables spread throughout the beach. - The park is pretty big with plenty of room for campers. - You can set your tent up ahead of time since it gets dark by 7pm during summers. - One morning I got an early start on the day. Standing at the beach at 5:45am, I witnessed a memorable Hawaiian sunrise! - There's a poetic sign beside the park entrance stating.... "One Island, Many Peoples, All Kauaians". I had to take a picture of this :) In total, Lydgate Beach Park gets my camping stamp of approval. It's located right near Lihue town. Prices are cheap. Showers and restrooms are good enough. And the setting is a winning formula for people to bask among nature alongside trickling waves from the Pacific Ocean.
A good place to reserve the large pavilion for parties, family reunions or gatherings. There is a elevated stage with a few steps up and a restroom towards the back of the pavilion. Bring hand soap for your guests. Bentos were ordered for lunch but family style bring pupus, dessert, fresh fruit and do creative cooking like making Hakka or frying shrimp chips and calamari, smoked meat, etc. to supplement your grinds. Nicely shaded from the sun and summer heat. You can have relay games on the lawn. We had hula hoops etc. There are probably clean up rules at the end of your event. There is a playground nearby and the beach across the street.
2 years ago
3 years ago
Calmest area to snorkel on Kauai, and one of the few snorkel areas on the eastern half of the island. We were driving northward from Lihue airport, reaching the outskirts of Kapaa, when decided to scout out this park, as it is right across from the Hilton Gardens Hotel. Huge park, paved parking spots along a half mile of beach, complete with pedestrian path, showers, restrooms, children's playground, lifeguards, picnic benches, both drive in and primitive campsites, fishing sites, three youth play fields, pavilion, and beaches areas completely protected by manmade breakwaters. Plenty of shade. The protected area of the beach is largely about 3 to 6 feet in depth with plenty of room so you don't fall over each other in the water. Good place to learn how to snorkel, and you'll bump into tropical fishes, such as the butterfly fish that sell for $42 at Eating House 1849! Would consider coming here as high surf advisory for the next five days, except that it is too far from where we are staying, in Poipu an hours drive away. Came here around noontime on a Tuesday, and the place was not crowded, with only about a dozen people around on a 100 yard beach area around the breakwater. Come here on a weekend and all 200+ parking spots would be filled just like Coney Island on a Labor Day holiday! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Had an area protected by rocks which created a lagoon of sorts which is very safe for kids, because it shields off the big ocean waves and it's perfect for snorkeling. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Our family really enjoyed this beach. We were able to find shade and it wasn't too crowded, even on a Friday. Our whole group liked the easy snorkeling, even grandma who gets nervous if it's too rough. You can stand in the whole lagoon and there is a smaller baby-sized lagoon as well. My son had fun on the playground across the parking lot. read more
2 years ago
Omg we loved this place! So much to do and see. We went last year and I had been meaning to review it. The playground is huge! My 3 & 1.5 yo at the time loved running around and playing. Afterwards we had a picnic in their hall area and then went across the street and swam in one of the lagoons. Such a beautiful place to take the keiki and tire them out lol. So glad we found it on our last day in Kaua'i. read more
Great spot for everyone! Kids playground asks park on the left and pond/ Beach on the right. There are two "ponds" within an enclave that is protected by a wall of lava rocks. One shallow kiddie pool and the other still shallow but gets deeper towards the lava rock wall. Not bad for novice snorkeling there are schools of fish swimming around and one barracuda looking for food. I guess hot dogs are their food of choice according to one local who feeds them hot dogs. Shore fishing is allowed here as long as there is fishing within the pond itself. Overall it's clean, besides the fact that there are driftwoods all over the place. read more
2 years ago
Want to make your kids happy? This is keiki (kids) heaven! there are play structures, soccer fields, bike paths, enclosed swimming ponds, great snorkeling. The lifeguards are also near the swim ponds and I even witnessed a rescue(!) when one of the girls freaked out because her friend pushed her in the water too roughly. Them lifeguards are so fast and SUPER in shape ;-) Never a dull moment here! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
I could stay here all dayyyyy! Gorgeous water, no waves in the lagoons, literally 2 feet deep so kiddos can swim and be safe! Been to many spots while we are here on vacation and this has been my favorite beach by far! read more
After reading all the Yelp reviews on how this beach has great snorkeling, I was looking forward to seeing a variety of fish. While snorkeling for about 20 minutes along the rocks, I was disappointed to see mainly convict tang, Hawaiian sergeant, and an occasional saddle wrasse in VERY cloudy water (due to people and wave activity). When I was contemplating getting out, a young boy was throwing koi food (which he bought at Walgreens) into the water and said, "Look at the fish!" Sure enough a school of surgeonfish were bubbling over the food. Due to the poor visibility in the water, there was a better view of the fish just standing in the sand looking at them from above. Additionally, we saw a curious puffer fish looking for food. However, my prize of the day was spotting a flounder in the sand. The parking is plentiful as are the tables. Having a rinse off station and bathrooms are a plus. read more
3 years ago
Perfect beach for kids and those learning to snorkel or to try out their gear. It's man made beach with 2 beach pools side by side with lava rock barriers to protect you from large waves. One beach pool is about 2 feet deep so it's perfect for toddlers and small children. The larger beach pool is great for 5-6yrs to adult. The deepest part is in the middle where it's about 6-7 feet deep. But most of it is about 4 feet deep, including rock barrier. You can swim out to the wall and then just stand up by rock barrier to view the reef fish. And reef fish there was plenty of! It was a great experience for us. My sister is so afraid of the ocean and even had a few panic attacks when first learning to breath in the snorkel gear but she quickly caught on and braved snorkeling here. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
I LOVE this beach. I'm not usually one for popular crowded beaches, but if you come early in the am like we did you'll get a good spot, hopefully at a picnic table under some trees like we did. The built in pools are perfect for small children and full of LOTS of tropical fish so you can snorkel. Plus, at its deepest my 9 and 10 year old could still stand in, head above water. Hardly any waves if you have small kiddos who need calmer waters. Plus the view is just gorgeous. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
While out for a morning stroll, I happened to notice the signs for this park and walked on back to the park via the Nalu Road entrance. The beach sprawls a long distance behind the Hilton and another resort on the south end. In fact, it is hard to tell when one beach starts and the next ends. It's just beach! What I did notice is that the Lydgate Beach area has lots of parking and well maintained pathways to allow easy movement. There are lots of shrubs, lawn, and even some wooded areas with shade to break up the view without affecting the beach itself. The park has also added ball fields (closer to the entrance roads) and has spacious restrooms, some shelters, and even a playground that is pretty awesome for kids who like to run and play instead of sitting around with electronic devices. The only real negative is that the park is swarming with cats and chickens. I find it ironic that signs are posted about not bringing your pets to the park, but that I passed dozens of birds and cats as I walked. I didn't have any problems with them getting in my way or see them chase anyone (they were following some lady who was feeding them), but it is a strange sight and makes me wonder how bad it will get once spring fever hits all these strays. Review #2398 read more
Awesome spot for the Lunar Eclipse. Kauaians peacefully set up chairs and picnics for a lovely evening of clear clear sky! No ambient lights except along the Kapaa coast. We saw so many stars! Beautiful Kauai evening. read more
7 years ago
I want so badly to give this beach 5 stars, but I must deduct a star and give it 4, because of no fault of the beach itself, but obviously the people who visit it... The waterline where it meets the sand has quite a bit of rubbish along the shoreline... People should be ashamed of allowing trash to escape from them, and end up in the water... The beach is enclosed by lava rock, keeping the water calm for small children. Best of all, the enclosed area is pretty much an aquarium full of different fish and sea life, making this a GREAT beach for snorkeling! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
This is a nice stop, especially if you have kids. We went for the afternoon to snorkel. It is free parking (for snorkeling drive to the end parking lot.) That is close to the little area enclosed for kids to play in, which is next to the enclosed snorkel spot. We saw a lot of fish (big and small) and the water is probably only about 6ish feet deep so you can almost walk out and look in to see the fish. The rock barrier is full of crabs which was really cool. The beach is not large with limited shade and there is some grass, it is not a white sand beach but a great spot. read more
More info about Lydgate Beach Park
4470 Nalu Rd
Kapaa, HI 96746
Directions
Visit Website
http://www.to-hawaii.com/kauai/beaches/lydgatebeach.php
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Lydgate Beach Park Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Lydgate Beach Park
Review Highlights - Lydgate Beach Park
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
9 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
2 years ago
8 months ago
7 years ago
15 years ago
15 years ago
10 months ago
15 years ago
16 years ago
